Nursing unit with venting means



United States Patent Inventor Arthur C. Barr 111 King St., Madison, Wisconsin 53703 Appl. No. 862,840 Filed Oct. 1, 1969 Continuation-impart 0i Ser. No.

744,537, July 12, 1968, now Patent No. I 3,471,050 Patented Dec. 8, 1970 NURSING UNIT WITH VENTING MEANS 10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

U-S." 215/11 Int. Cl. A61] 9/04 Field of Search 215/11,

l1.l,ll.2, 11.3, 11.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,088 3/1956 Perreault 215/11(.2)UX 2,846,103 8/1958 Maxwell..... 215/11 3,161,311 12/1964 Boston 215/11 3,471,050 10/1969 Barr 215/11 Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-McCanna, Morsbach, Pillote and Muir ABSTRACT: An impervious baby bottle is provided with a plastic liner, a nursing nipple and a retaining cap. A venting insert is provided at the bottle mouth, between the lip and the liner, to vent the area between the bottle and linear to atmosphere so the liner collapses as liquid is dispensed therefrom. The bottle is provided with an annular recess into which the venting insert fits to position and hold the insertat the bottle lip.

NURSING um wrru VENI'ING MEANS CROSS-REFERENCE BACKGROUND The invention pertains generally to bottles adapted for nursing; that is for dispensing liquid infant food.

The conventional baby nurser includes a reusable bottle, nipple and cap. It has the advantage of being reusable, but certain disadvantages when used with young infants. One chief disadvantage is the possibility of colic resulting from feeding air through the nipple. Nursing units having collapsible liners overcome this problem but, for the most part, are useless without the liners. Thus, should a mother run out of liners at an inopportune time, a different nursing unit must be used. Other prior art arrangements have incorporated a plastic liner with a conventional nurser, for example see U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,485. These, however, do not overcome the disadvantages of the conventional nurser.

In the aforementioned copending application, there is disclosed the combination of an impervious baby bottle, a plastic liner, a nursing nipple, a retaining cap, and a venting insert at the bottle mouth, between the lip and the liner, to vent the area between the bottleand the liner to atmosphere so the liner collapses as the liquid is dispensed. The venting insert was of L-shaped cross section, with one leg overlying the bottle lip aiid the other leg adjacent the inside of the bottle neck. However, bottle necks, even of a single size, are subject to generally wide variations especially in glass bottles. Thus, an insert that fits one bottle may not properly fit another bottle because of a slightly different diameter at the inside of the bottle neck. To manufacture the inserts so they are small enough for the smallest bottle neck, makes the inserts loose in those bottles with a large neck. In short, the wide variations or tolerances in the internal size of bottle necks, makes it difficult to manufacture an insert adaptable to all bottles of a given Size i 1 SUMMARY The present invention relates generally to a new and improved nursing unit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nursing unit which provides a collapsible liner in an impervious bottle and which liner collapses as the liquid infant food is dispensed therefrom, and to an improved venting arrangement for use therewith.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a nursingunit which has the advantages of both the conventional niirser and the collapsible nurser.

Another object is to provide a nursing unit which can be used as either a conventional nurser or a collapsible nurser.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a nursing unit which utilizes a baby bottle and a flexible liner in the bottle, and provides apparatus for communicating the area between the liner and bottle to atmosphere so that the liner collapses as the liquid infant food is dispensed therefrom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a nursing unit in accordance with the foregoing object and which has an improved venting apparatus and means on the bottle for positioning and holding the venting apparatus at the bottle lip.

These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become obvious as the invention becomes better understood from the following description when taken with the drawings.

DRAWINGS FIG. I is generally a vertical sectional view, with some parts in elevation, of a preferred embodiment of the present invention filled with a liquid infant food;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the nursing unit in a dispensing position and illustrating the c'ollapsing'of the flexible liner as the liquid is dispensed; 1 FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the relationship ofthe partsand the venting means in greater detail; FIGS. 3-A, on sheet two of the drawifig, is a partial sectional view on a still largerscale than FIG. 3, and showing the rela-' tionship between the bottle and the venting inse'rt andtaken on a line other than througha viitingopening;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a vertical'sectional view and; bottom view, respectively, of a preferred insert utilized in the 'present DESCRIPTION Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings which illustrate one form of the present invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The nursing unit of the present invention includes a bottle 10, a nipple 12, and a retaining cap 14. The bottle 10 is preferably made of a strong, generally transparent material, such as glass or plastic, and which material is resistant to heat and impervious to liquid. In the embodiment illustrated, the bottle is of hexagonal shape and of the eight ounce size, it being understood that other sizes and shapes may be utilized. On the side of the bottle are longitudinally positioned, spaced indicia or markings 21 for determining the amount of liquid infant food 18 remaining in the unit. In the embodiment illustrated, the bottle is slightly necked at the top leaving a generally wide mouth 22 which terminates in a lip 23. The bottle lip 23 is preferably smooth and flat. As is conventional, the top of the bottle is circular in cross section and provided with a screw thread 24 at the outside of the neck. Preferably, the thread 24 is discontinuous, as best seen in FIG. 3, for purpose hereafter explained. Y

Received in the bottle 10 is a flexible liner 30 that is preferably impervious to liquid, being made of a strong, generally transparent, heat-resistant material, such as synthetic resin. The bottom edge of the liner or bag 30 is sealed at 31. The top of the liner is open and turned back over the top of the bottle as shown at 32. The length and diameter of the liner, when filled with the liquid infant food 18, is great enough to fill the entire bottle so that the indicia 21 may serve to indicate the quantity of the contents in the liner. Additionally, by lying closely adjacent the walls of the bottle 10, heat is transmitted through the liner 30 to the liquid infant food 18 when the bottle is warmed.

The bag or liner 30 is of conventional construction and readily available on the market in the form of a sterile roll of flattened plastic tubing. The tubing has spaced seal areas 31 and may have perforations at one side of the seal area for severing one bag from the roll. After each use of the nursing unit, the bag may be discarded and a new bag removed from the roll.

. Overlying the liner 30 at the top lip 23 of the bottle, is the aforementioned nipple 12 which is held in place by the retaining cap 14. In general, the nipple 12 includes a peripheral flange 42 and a hollow teat portion 44 rising upwardly therefrom. The tip end of the nipple has an opening -36 for dispensing of the liquid infant food. The nipple illustrated is identical to that illustrated and described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,113,569 issued to Arthur C. Barr and Norma K. Barr, and reference is made thereto for a more complete description thereof. It should be understood, however, that any conventional nipple may be utilized with the present invention.

views co'rresponding to FIGS. 3 and The retaining cap 14 has an inwardly extending flange 52 with a circular opening 54. The flange 52 overlies the nipple flange 42 and the opening; 54 permits the teat portion 44 to project therethrough. The cap 14 has a downtumed annular flange 56 having aninternal thread 58 which engages the bottle thread 24 to hold the cap in place. When the cap is tightly screwed down, a seal isprovided'between the nipple flange 42 and the liner 30.

In FIG. 1 the nursing unit is shown with the liner holding the liquid infant foodThe weight of the liquid causes the liner to assume the shape of the bottle, as shown. In FIG. 2, the nursing unit is shown ina dispensing position with the liner 30 collapsed around theliquid. To. allow the liner 30 to collapse, a venting insert 60 is provided for venting the area between the liner and the bottle to atmosphere, to allow air into that area when the liquid is dispensed. In this manner, the dispensing through the opening 46 closely approximates the natural" form of feeding. The liquid can be more easily withdrawn by a newborn baby, for example, than when the baby must draw a partialyacuum on the bottle as occurs in a conventional nurser. Additionally, with the collapse of the flexible liner 30, no flow of air into the liner is required thereby alleviating the possibility of colic.

The venting insert 60 cooperates with the bottle 10 in being positioned and secured thereon. Attention is directed to FIG. 3-A as best illustrating this cooperation. As to the bottle structure, the bottle neck has a special configuration which has a diametrically reduced portion 112 adjacent the lip 23. In other words, there is an external annular recess at the lip. This portion 112 is formed with an annular radial rib 113, the lower side 114 of which provides an abutment designed forholding engagement with the venting insert 60. The upper side of rib 113 is the outer portion of,lip 23 and may slope outwardly and downwardly to the outersurface of the rib by means of surface 118 of comparatively large radius.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-A, 4 and 5, there is shown venting insert 60 which is one embodiment of an apparatus which cooperates in venting the space between the liner 30 and the bottle 10 to atmosphere. As shown, the insert 60 has a generally U-shaped cross section. The insert 60 includes a first portion 62 designed to overlie the bottle lip 23. The upper surface of portion 62 is preferably flat and smooth, and it is over this upper surfacethat the .liner extends Thus, it is the upper surface of portion 62 to which the liner is clamped .by the nipple flange 42. A second annular portion 63 depends from portion 62 and is shaped for fitting into the annular recess of the bottle 10 and engaging rib 113, as will hereafter be explained in greater detail. V A. third annular portion 64 extends downwardly from portion 62 and is shaped for inserting into the bottle mouth 22. The lower end 65 of portion 64 is preferably tapered outwardly toward the bottle wall to provide a smooth transition for the liner 30.

A plurality of channels are provided in the insert 60 to allow the passage of air from the outside of the bottle into the space between the liner, and inside of the bottle. For this purpose, a plurality of radially extending grooves 66 extend along the bottom side of the portion 62 and through the depending portions 63 and 64. Thus the grooves66 are shown as openings in the portion 64, as seen in FIG. 4. Other grooves 68 extend across portion 62 and downwardly through depending .portions 63 and 64 tothe lower ends thereof and areshown as slots in FIG. 4. In this manner, grooves 68 are advantageously temately, the threads and 58lrnay be so arranged to provide an.-air .channeLtherealong. to accomplish, the same purpose. With. either, structure, means is provided for continuously venting the space between the insert 30 and the bottle. 10 to allow the flexible liner 30 to collapse as the liquid infant food is dispensed therefrom.

The venting insert is preferably formed of polyethylene or some like elastic material so that it can be attached to bottle 10. Referring again to FIG. 3-A, the venting insert 60 is generally a collarlike shape, and the second portion 63 comprises an annular vertical web. The outer surface of second portion 63 is generally at a right angle to the upper surface of first portion 62, and is generally coextensive with the outer surface of the bottle neck below the annular recess (See FIG. 3). As can be seen, however, there is tolerance and these surfaces need not be exactly coextensive.

Ready attachment of the venting insert 60 to the rib 113 is facilitated by reason of; ,the upwardly and inwardly curved guiding surface 124 on second portion 63, and the upwardly facing annular shoulder 125 provided at the upper margin of the curved surface 124. Shoulder 125 is so spaced below first portion 62 that, when the venting insert is in'operating position, the radial rib 113 is effectively gripped between theshoulder 125 and the first portion 62.

The venting insert is applied merely by pressing it downwardly over the neck portion 112 until the shoulder 125 snaps over the radial rib 113. When this position has been attained, the ventinginsert is secured tothe bottle and will remain there until removed by a user.

In bottle manufacture, outside tolerances can be readily maintained while inside tolerances, cannot. Thus, by being secured to the outside of-the bottle, ventingjnsert 60 can be readilymanufactured. The depending portion 64 need'not serve as a positioning element and can be spaced inwardly far enough to easily fit into the mouth of various bottles. Indeed,

.in some instances, the portion 64 may be spaced from the bottle mouth 22, as shown in FIG. 3, and thereby aid the venting function.

The nursing unit described herein can be utilized as a .conventional nurser, if desired, by removal of the venting insert 60. As described above, the nursing unit can be utilized with the insert 60 and liner-30 as a collapsible nurser. In this manner, the unit is convertible.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of a venting insert, generally designated60'. Elements of venting insert 60' which are similar to those of venting insert 60, and have the same function, are indicated by the same numeral followed by the postscript prime and further description is deemed unnecessary. In this embodiment, there is no depending portion A at the inside of the bottle mouth. Portion 62' which overlies the bottle lip 23, extends inwardly of.the bottle mouth 22 to provide a gap between the liner-30 and the bottle mouth 22 adjacent the bottle lip. However, it is contemplated that the inner edge of portion 62' can be coextensive with the bottle mouth 22 without adversely effecting the venting function.

In FIGS. 8 and 9 there is illustrated a third embodiment of a venting insert, generally designated 60' Elements of venting insert 60" which are similar to those of venting insert 60 and have the same function, are indicated by the same numeral followed by the postscript double prime and further description is deemed unnecessary. In this embodiment, ,the grooves 68" do not extend through third portion 64"; rather, the insert 60" is so designed that portion 64" is always spaced from a mouth 22 to provide a gap and communicate the area between the bag 30 and bottle 10 with the groove 68''.

I claim:

1. A nursing unit for liquid infant food including, in combination:

an impervious, reusable bottle having an annular neck at the top and terminating in a peripheral lip defining an open mouth, the neck having a generally upright outer surface, the bottle having an external thread on the neck and an external annular recess at the lip;

a nursing nipple overlying the bottle mouth and lip;

a disposable, impervious liner received in the bottle for holding the liquid, the liner being made of flexible material open at the top end and extending over the bottle lip;

an annular venting insert between the bottle lip and the liner and having a first portion overlying the bottle lip, a second portion depending from the first portion and received in the external annular recess of the bottle, and at least one opening extending from outside the bottle and over the bottle lip for communicating the area between the bottle and liner to atmosphere so the flexible liner collapses as the liquid is dispensed therefrom; and

a removable retaining cap overlying a portion of the nursing nipple and engageable with the bottle thread for mounting the nursing nipple in sealing relationship to the liner and for holding the liner in place at the bottle mouth.

2. A nursing unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the annular venting insert includes a third portion depending from the first portion and extending downwardly at the inside of the bottle neck so that the annular insert has a cross section of generally inverted U-shape and the third portion being at least partially spaced from the inside of the bottle neck to communicate with said opening for the venting function.

3. A nursing unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottle includes an annular radial rib adjacent the bottle lip and extending into said recess, and wherein the second portion of the venting insert has an internal channel to receive said rib to hold the insert in position at the bottle lip.

4. A nursing unit as set forth in claim 3 wherein the annular radial rib provides a continuous abutment facing axially away from the bottle mouth; wherein the venting insert is formed of resilient material; and wherein the second portion of the venting insert has a wall in contact with said abutment, and a downwardly and outwardly tapered guiding surface leading to the wall contacting the abutment so that the venting insert can easily'be attached to the bottle by pushing the guiding surface over the radial rib.

5. A nursing unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein: the venting insert has a smooth upper surface for contactingthe flexible liner, the flexible liner has a portion at its upper end turned downwardly outside the venting insert and over the thread on the outside of the bottle neck, and the threaded connection between the bottle and the retaining cap being operative to clamp the flexible liner therebetween to hold the liner in place while providing an air passageway between the liner and outside bottle neck from outside the bottle to the venting insert opening.

6. A nursing unit for liquid infant food including, in combination:

an impervious, reusable bottle having an annular neck at the top and terminating in a peripheral lip defining an open mouth, and having an external annular recess at the lip;

a nursing nipple overlying the bottle mouth and lip;

a disposable, impervious liner received in the bottle for holding the liquid infant food and having an upper portion extending over the bottle lip under the nursing nipple and turned downwardly outside the bottleneck;

a venting insert for continuously venting the area between the liner and the inside of the bottle and being disposed between the liner and the bottle lip, the insert having a first portion generally coextensive with the bottle lip and a second portion depending therefrom and disposed in the external annular recess of the bottle, and the insert having a plurality of channels extending over the bottle lip to continuously communicate the vented area with the outside of the bottle under the down-turned portion of the liner, means for communicating arr from outside the bottle to said plurality of channels so the liner collapses as the liquid is dispensed therefrom; and

means for clamping the nursing nipple against the liner to provide a liquidtight seal therebetween.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the bottle includes an annular rib adjacent the bottle lip and extending into the recess; wherein the second portion of the venting insert has: an internal channel to receive said rib to hold the insert in position at the bottle lip, and a downwardly and outwardly tapered guiding surface leading to the channel; and wherein the venting insert is formed of a resilient material so that it can be easily attached by pushing the guiding surface over the radial rib, and can be easily removed when desired.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein the bottle neck has an external thread thereon which is discontinuous, the lastmentioned means is a retaining cap having internal thread thereon for clamping the down-turned portion of the liner between itself and the bottle thread and providing a threaded connection to hold the cap in place, and the means for com municating air to the channels is provided by the discontinuity 

